Method for splitting and pitting fruit



Jan. 16, 1968 M. BUCHNER METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND FITTING FRUIT Original Filed Aug. 14, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR MARVIN K. BUCHNER ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 M. K. BUCHNER 3,363,657

METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND FITTING FRUIT Original Filed Aug. 14, 1961 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 iBO INVENTOR T- I G 2 MARVIN K. BUCHNER ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 M. K. BUCHNER 3,363,657

METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND FITTING FRUIT Original FiledAug. 14, 1961 TSheets-Sheet 5 F'IG q INVENTOR MARVIN K. BUCHNER BY M ATTORNEY M. K. BUCHNER METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND FITTING FRUIT Jan. 16, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Aug. 14, 1961 NON mi INVENTOR MARVIN K. BUCHNER BY Ma -W ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 M. K. BUCHNER 3,363,657

METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND PITT ING FRUIT Original Filed Aug. 14, 1961 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 nunnnnnn PIK INVENTOR MARVIN K. BUCHNER ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 M. K. BUCHNER W METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND FITTING FRUIT Original Filed Aug. 14, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 ENVENTOR MARVIN K. BUCHNER ATTORNEY Jan. 16, 1968 M. K. BUCHNER 3,36

METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND FITTING FRUIT Original Filed Aug 14, 1961 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIE IHE ,ABE;

10G 105 I 105 F1 5.1 'gg IO? 65 6'? Z3 '23 85 9! 9e INVENTOR 9'7 9'2 MARVIN x. HUCHNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,363,657 METHOD FOR SPLITTING AND PI'ITING FRUIT Marvin K. Buchner, San Jose, Calif., assignor to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Original application Aug. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 131,201, new

Patent No. 3,219,080, dated Nov. 23, 1965. Divided and this application Feb. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 438,455

11 Claims. (Cl. 146-238) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fruit such as a peach is pitted by first having one end impaled, preferably along its suture plane, on a pair of cooperating diametrically extending inner knives, providing a cutting edge for cutting into the fruit about the pit as it is impaled. As the fruit is impaled, the inner end of the pit engages a resiliently mounted centering blade that yieldably resists further inward movement of the fruit. A single outer knife having a pit engaging and centering blade projecting from its cutting edge is moved toward the impaled fruit with the knife in coplanar relation to the cutting edge of the pair of inner knives with the outer blade engaging the outer end of the pit and the knife associated with the outer blade starting a diametrical cut in the fruit. The inner and outer blades, at this stage in their operation grasp and align the pit. Continued inward movement of the outer knife and blade forces the fruit inward against the resilient force of the inner blade to seat the fruit and thereafter move the pit relatively to the pit cavity and complete severance of the fruit meat into segments. While the pit is securely clamped by the inner and outer blades the inner knives are abruptly spread apart so as to remove the fruit halves from the detached pit while it is held by the blades.

The present application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 131,201, filed Aug. 14, 1961, now Patent No. 3,219,080.

The present invention pertains to a method of splitting and pitting fruit and, more particularly, to such a method preformed by pitting apparatus of the type wherein the fruit is bisected and the halves are moved laterally away from the pit.

Machines have previously been used for splitting the flesh, or epicarp, of a freestone peach, for example, into halves and for separating the halves from the pit, or endocarp, preparatory to canning. In most machines of this type, the fruit is out along its suture plane into segments, usually halves, and the two halves are spread apart, that is, they are moved away from each other and from the pit. In performing these cutting and spreading functions, the known machines have frequently subjected the fruit to greater damage than is desired.

As examples of such damage, insufficient separation of the fruit halves from each other and from the pit, or incomplete slicing of the flesh about the pit prior to spreading of the halves caused ragged tearing of the flesh during spreading; forcing of the pit entirely out of the fruit through an end thereof bores or plows an opening in the flesh around said end; and puncturing of the fruit with prongs to hold the pit against movement leaves prong marks in the fruit. Further, inadequate pit and flesh separation or ineffective holding of the pit may cause the entire pit or pit fragments to remain attached to the fruit halves. In each of these examples, the fruit has an objectionable appearance, may require subsequent manual cleaning, and usually has a reduced commercial value.

The subject invention overcomes these problems by loosening the pit while the fruit is being sliced into seg ments. That is, the pit is dislodged from its pit cavity 3 ,363,657 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 while the flesh is sliced around substantially the entire circumference of the pit. In addition, the pit is firmly held during dislodgement and thereafter While the halves are spread apart. The spreading action, therefore, becomes essentially one of moving the separated segments apart and discharging them.

Although the present invention is described with reference to freestone peaches, the principles of the present invention are applicable to other fruits Where similar problems are involved.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for splitting and pitting fruit with a minimum of damage to the fruit.

Another object is to provide a method for cleanly separating segments of a fruit from each other and from the pit thereof.

Another object is to provide a method for gently loosening and breaking the connection between the flesh and the pit of a fruit prior to moving the segments of the flesh away from each other and from the pit.

Another object is to provide a method for pitting fruit which includes dislodging a pit from its pit cavity during but before completing the slicing of the fruit into segments.

These objects, together with other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a fruit splitting and pitting apparatus for practicing the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary section of a portion of the pitting apparatus with parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and showing the inner knives in a closed fruit receiving position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective of one of the inner pit engaging blades and its associated springs, the latter being only partially shown, it being noted that said blade and springs are even further enlarged from their showings in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, as seen when looking toward the near side of the apparatus as illustrated in FIG. I, but with portions broken away to show details of construction.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken along line 77 of FIG. 2 but on a reduced scale from that of FIG. 2 and also with parts of the apparatus being broken away.

FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views of a portion of the apparatus for performing the present method taken along the same section line as FIG. 7 but on a scale reduced from that of FIG. 2 and showing the apparatus in successive stages of operation in splitting and pitting a peach.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the apparatus as it approaches a fruit separating station and of a peach positioned on the apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 but showing the apparatus and the fruit in a more advanced stage at the fruit separating station;

FIG. 14 is a section taken on line 14-14 in FIG. 13.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus for performing the method of the present invenbers 26 rigidly interconnecting lower end portions of corresponding legs, a plurality of rear crossbars 27 interconnecting the rear legs and in vertically spaced relation to each other, a lower rear crossbar 28 interconnecting the lower side members, a front base member 29 rigidly interconnecting the lower end of the front legs, and a substantially horizontal platform 31 secured to the rear end portions of the upper side members.

Bearings 36 are secured to the upper end portions of the front legs 21 and are in horizontal alignment transversely of the frame. A main shaft 37 is journaled in these bearings 36 and extends transversely of the frame. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, a pair of hubs 39 are secured to the main shaft 37 by a key 40. The hubs provide flanges 42 projecting radially outwardly therefrom in spaced relation axially of the shaft. The flanges provide a plurality of pairs of aligned bores 44, for a purpose to be described, spaced circumferentially about the shaft.

A circular fruit carrying disc 59 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6) which is disposed between the flanges 42, is secured thereto by bolts 51 for rotation with the shaft 37. The disc 50 has an outer sharpened cutting edge 53 (FIG. 3) and a plurality of slots 55 extending radially inwardly from said edge. Each slot has an outer enlarged section 56 providing an open outer end, and an inner section 57 which has a transverse dimension less than the transverse dimension of the outer section and an end wall 57a adjacent the periphery of the flanges 42. The slots are spaced circumferentially about the disc (FIG. 6) with the spacing between adjacent slots being susbtantially the same.

A plurality of inner pit engaging blades or pit-backup members 65 (FIG. are individually slidably fitted in the slots 55 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Each blade includes a shank 67 fitted in the inner section 57 of its respective slot for slidable movement radially of said shaft 37, an inner transverse base plate 68 secured to the shank in opposed relation to the inner end of slot, and an outer V-shaped knife edge 69 on the shank. The knife edge terminates in a pair of tips 70 and provides a pit receiving notch therebetween. Rectangular guides 73 are secured to the shank on opposite sides thereof and provide opposite ends in slidable overlapping relation to the disc 50. Stop pins 75 are secured to the disc, project outwardly in opposite directions therefrom, and are adjacent to opposite sides of the slots. Each inner pit engaging blade is thereby mounted for movement radially of the main shaft 37 between an outer pit receiving position (FIGS. 3 and 12), defined by the abutment of the guides with their respective stop pins, and an inner pit dislodging position (FIG. 13) spaced radially inwardly of the receiving positions. Coiled compression springs 77 (FIGS. 3 and 4) are located in the slots between the base plates 68 of the blades and the inner ends of the slots; these springs yieldably urge the pit-engaging blades into their pit-receiving positions wherein the guides abut their respective stop pins. It is to be noted that the slots and the inner blades have common center lines radially related to the main shaft.

With reference to FIG. 5, it is noted that an auxiliary V-shaped lateral pit engaging blade 80 is secured to the shank 67 of the inner blade 65 and is projected endwardly therefrom perpendicularly of the outer knife edge 69. As will be understood more fully hereinafter, the auxiliary blade is optional and is provided under certain conditions.

A plurality of pairs of inner fruit spreading knives 85 (FIGS. 3 and 4) are mounted on the disc 50 with a pair of knives being associated with each slot 55 and pit engaging blade 65. For mounting the inner knives, pairs of opposed intermediate hinge sleeves 86 and 87 (FIG. 4) are integrally formed on the periphery of the flanges 42 in circumferentially spaced relation therearound. The sleeves 86 and 87 in each pair are on opposite sides of the inner ends of the associated slot 55.

Inasmuch as all of the spreader knives 85 are of identical construction and are similarly attached to the disc 56, only one knife and its mounting are described at this point. Each inner knife is mounted on a bracket 38 (FIG. 3) which includes a plate portion 88a (FIG. 2) from which two spaced arms 89 project. The arms 89 are disposed on opposite sides of one of the hinge sleeves 86 and are pivotally connected thereto by a hinge pin 90 (FIG. 4) which extends transversely of the main shaft 37. Each mounting bracket 88 also has a pair of spaced mounting arms 91, each of which projects outwardly from one of the arms 89.

Each spreader knife 85 (FIG. 6) is a generally U- shaped member which has two wings 96 overlying the mounting arms 91 and secured thereto by bolts 97. Spaced knife members 99 and 99a project outwardly from the wings 96 and overlie the outer section 56 of the corresponding slot 55. These knife members are of slightly different lengths and each has an outer knife edge 100. As seen in FIG. 3, the shorter knife member 99 of each U-shaped knife is opposite to the longer knife member 99a of the U-shaped knife directly opposite it.

A fruit supporting or positioning plate (FIG. 4) is secured to and extends between the wings 96 of each inner knife 85 and projects substantially normally outwardly therefrom. Each plate has a hole 106 therein which may be used to receive a bolt or the like of a pad (not shown) that may be attached to the plate to increase the thickness of the plate. An opening 107 is formed in the plate adjacent to its associated wings 96 for a purpose to be described.

The spreader knives 85 in each pair are thus mounted for movement relatively to the disc 50 between a closed, fruit receiving position (FIG. 4) with opposed knife members 99 in engagement and contiguous to a plane containing the disc, and an open fruit spreading position (lower part of FIG. 2) with said knife members in spaced relation to each other. In the closed positions of the knives (FIG. 4), the openings 107 are in radial alignment with and receive the opposite sides of the lateral pit engaging blade 80 during movement of the inner blade from its receiving position into its dislodging position.

Coiled knife springs 110 (FIG. 4) are positioned in the bores 44, bear against the disc 50 and the underside of the plate portion 88a of bracket 88, and yieldably urge the inner knives into their closed positions. Carn following knife rollers 112 are rotatably mounted on the plate portions 88a for use in moving the knives into their open positions. It is to be noted in FIG. 6 that the axes of all the cam following rollers on each side of the disc are intersected by an imaginary common circle concentric to the main shaft 37.

It is also believed evident from the foregoing that the inner knives 85 are mounted for rotation with the disc 50. For imparting rotary movement to the disc, a large driven gear (FIG. 7) is secured to the main shaft 37. An intermediate shaft 121 is mounted in the frame 20 rearwardly of and in substantially the same horizontal plane with the main shaft. A drive pinion 122 is secured to the intermediate shaft and is in mesh with the driven gear. A driven pulley 125 is secured to the intermediate shaft outwardly of the pinion. A motor 127 is supported on the platform 31 and provides a drive pulley 129 in a common vertical plane with the driven pulley. A pulley belt 130 extends around the drive and driven pulleys and imparts rotary movement to the intermediate shaft and thereby to the main shaft upon energization of the motor.

The disc 50 is thus rotated by the motor 127 so as to move each pair of inner knives 85 in an arcuate path successively past a fruit feeding station (FIG. 6) at the front portion of the frame 20 and a fruit separating station 136 spaced circumferentially of the disc from the feeding station; it is to be noted that these stations are substantially diametrically opposite each other with respect to the disc.

For controlling spreading movement of the inner knives 85, as well as for controlling other portions of the subject apparatus, a camshaft 140 (FIG. 6) is journalled in the frame 20 beneath the main shaft 37. A driven pinion 141 (FIG. 2) is secured to the camshaft and is in mesh with the driven gear 120. In the disclosed embodiment of the subject invention, the driven pinion 141 and cam shaft 146 rotate six times for each revolution of the driven gear 120 and the disc 50; this ratio of six to one is not a factor limiting the invention since said ratio simply corresponds to the number of pairs of inner knives which are employed. A knife control cam 143 (FIGS. 2 and 6) is secured on an end portion of the camshaft 140.

A mounting shaft 144 (FIG. 6) is also journalled in the frame 20 in rearwardly spaced, substantially parallel relation to and in substantially a common horizontal plane with the camshaft 140. A knife control arm 145 (FIGS. 2 and 7) and a knife control bell crank 146 (FIGS. 2 and 6) are secured to opposite ends of the mounting shaft 144 for unitary fore and aft rocking move ment therewith. The bell crank 146 has a lower end portion 147 that carries a roller 147a which rides along the knife control earn 143. The upper ends of both the bell crank 146 and the arm 14-5 are provided with upper arcuate cams 148. Since the bell crank and the arm 145 are keyed to the same shaft, movement of the bell crank by control cam 143 controls movement of arm 145 also. The bell crank and the arm are mounted for movement between inner fruit spreading positions wherein their spreading cams 148 are concentric to the main shaft 37 (FIG. 6) and are in contact with the knife rollers 112, and outer retracted positions spaced from said knife rollers. During rotation of the disc and the camshaft, the knife control cam 143 intermittently moves the spreading cams into contact with the rollers as the knife rollers successively move through the separating station 136. When the knife rollers associated with a pair of inner knives 85 are engaged by the spreading cams, said pair of knives are pivoted into spreading positions wherein they remain as the rollers travel along the spreading cams.

Stationary knife cams 150 (FIGS. 2 and 6) are secured to the front legs 21 of the frame 20; these stationary cams extend inwardly on opposite sides of the disc 56) and thence concentrically of the main shaft 37 to provide extensions of the spreading cams 148 when the latter are in their spreading positions. The knife rollers 112 leave the spreading cams and ride onto the stationary cams 150 so that the knives remain in their spreading positions for approximately ninety degrees of travel. Continued rotation of the knife cam 143, after a pair of rollers leave the spreading cams, allows the arm 145 and the bell crank 146 to return to retracted positions by gravity.

Freestone peaches, or other fruit, 155 (FIG. 12) are fed into the apparatus at the fruit feeding station 135 (FIG. 6). To support the fruit at this station a movable support mechanism is provided. This mechanism includes an L-shaped bar 158 which projects forwardly and radially from the main shaft 37 in laterally adjacent spaced relation to one side of the disc 50. At its inner end the bar 158 is secured to a bushing 157 journalled on shaft 37. At its outer end, the bar curves inwardly in front of the periphery of the disc, and a forwardly inclined V-shaped fruit cup 159 is secured to the bar. The cup provides an apex 161 (FIG. 1) in the same vertical plane as the disc.

With reference to FIG. 6 an upstanding mounting bracket 166 is secured to a lower side member 26 of the frame 20. An L-shaped arm 168 has a rear end pivoted on the mounting bracket and a forward upturned end portion pivotally connected to the L-shaped bar 158 of the feed mechanism by a link 169. A roller 170 is mounted on the arm 168 and rides on a fruit feeding cam 172 connected to the camshaft 140. As the camshaft is rotated, the V- shaped fruit feed cup 159 is moved in an arc concentric to the main shaft 37 between a lower position (FIG. 6) at the feeding station 135 and an upper position (not shown), upwardly angularly spaced from the lower position.

Assuming that both the cup 159 and a pair of the spreader knives 85 are located in the feeding station 135,

and are traveling upwardly together, it will be evident that the cup will hold the peach in alignment with the knives for a sufficient length of time to permit the peach to he slid radially inwardly onto the knives 8 5 and the pit engaging blade 65. For this description, attention is directed to FIG. 6, 12 and 14; although FIGS. 12 and 14 are not at the feeding station and do not show the cup, these figures do illustrate the position the peach attains after it has been pushed on? the cup 159 onto the blades. Although a peach is not shown at the feeding station in FIG. 6, it will be evident that the peach is initially positioned on the cup with its stem end 176 facing the disc 50, with its suture plane coplanar with the disc and the cutting edges 1%, and with its stem-blossom axis in alignment with the center line of the pit engaging blade. It is to be noted that in this position, the axis of the pit 177 is in alignment with the blade. As each pair of knives moves upwardly from the fruit feeding station, the cup is moved therewith so as to maintain alignment of the stem-blossom axis of the peach with the blade. By the time the cup reaches its upper position, the peach has been moved radially inwardly, by an operator or by a mechanical feed device and is impaled on the knives with the latter cutting into the flesh of the peach along its suture plane, with the stem end of the peach in engagement with or closely adjacent to the fruit supporting plates 165, and with the inner end of the pit received in the notch of the knife edge 69 of the blade. It is also to be noted that the knives and blade partially slice the peach into segments, these segments being halves in the disclosed embodiment; that is, approximately the radially inner or leading half of the peach is severed at this stage of the operation.

For completing severance of the peach into halves, an outer knife (FIG. 7) is provided. The outer knife is mounted for oscillating movement in an outer arcuate path concentric with the main shaft 37 by a blade aligning crank 187 journalled on the main shaft. The aligning crank includes a lower control portion 188 and an upper mounting portion 189 in obtuse angular relation to the control portion. A crank control bar 191 has a rear end 192 pivotally mounted in the frame 20 in upwardly spaced, substantially parallel relation to the mounting shaft 144. The control bar has a front end 194 pivotally connected to the control portion of the crank by a telescopically adjustable link 196. A roller 198 is mounted on the bar intermediate its ends and rides on a knife reciprocating cam 200 secured to the camshaft 140. A bar depressing spring 202 has an upper end connected to the front end of the control bar and a lower end (FIG. 1) connected to the base member 29 of the frame for yieldably urging the roller 198 (FIG. 7) downwardly against the reciprocating cam.

A socket member 219 (FIGS. 2 and 7) is secured to the mounting portion 189 of the crank 187. A cylindrical slide rod 212 is fitted in and secured to the socket memher and projects outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relation to a radius of the disc 50. A pair of rails 214 have inner ends 215 secured to the socket member and interconnected outer ends 216. The rails provide elongated flanges 217 in spaced parallel relation to each other and in laterally adjacent spaced parallel relation to the slide rod.

Still considering the mounting of the outer knife 185, a mounting sleeve 225 is slidably fitted on the slide rod 212 for reciprocating movement thereon inwardly and outwardly with respect to the disc 50. An arm 227 is secured to the sleeve 225 and projects toward the rails 214. A guide wheel 228 is mounted on the arm 227, extends between the rails 214, and rolls on one or the other of the flanges 217. A bracket 230 is extended from the sleeve substantially radially of the slide rod and mounts the outer knife thereon by screws 232. It is noted that the outer knife is in a substantially common plane with the disc 50 (FIG. 2).

The outer knife 185 provides a knife edge 236 in opposed relation to the cutting edge 53 of the disc 50 (FIGS. 2 and 6). Also, an outer pit engaging blade 238, similar in form to the inner pit engaging blade 65, projects inwardly from the knife edge 236 of the outer knife. The outer blade has a V-shaped knife edge 239 (FIGS. 1 and 6) terminating in tips 240 and providing a pit receiving notch. As with the inner pit engaging blades 65, the outer blade may be optionally provided with an auxiliary, lateral pit-engaging blade 242. Inasmuch knife is in a common plane with the disc, the outer and inner pit engaging blades are in coplanar relation, as are the auxiliary blades when employed. The outer knife is moved by the blade aligning crank 187 (FIGS. 8 through 11) from an upper rest position to a lower position as each pair of inner knives 85 approach the fruit separating station 136. During this movement, the aligning crank 187 maintains the outer blade 1.85 in alignment with the inner knife 85 and with the slot 55 in which such blade is mounted.

As the outer knife 185 swings in an outer arcuate path concentric with the main shaft 37, as controlled by the blade aligning crank 187 the outer knife is moved toward and away from the disc 50 between an inner fruit en gaging position (FIG. 9) and an outer retracted position (FIG. 8). For this purpose, a knife sliding lever 250 (FIG. 7) is journalled on the main shaft. The sliding lever has an upper end 251 pivotally connected to the mounting sleeve 225 by a telescopically adjustable link 253. The knife sliding lever also has a lower end 255. A I-shaped lever control bar 257 is journalled on the mounting shaft 144 and provides an upper end 258 pivotally connected to the lower end of the lever 25%) by a strap 259 and a lower end 261 adjacent to the camshaft 14-6. A roller 263 is mounted on the lower end of the bar and rides against an outer knife control cam 265 secured to the camshaft.

The outer knife 185 is yieldably urged into its upper, retracted position by a knife retracting spring 270 having a forward end 271 connected to the upper end 253 of the bar 257. A threaded rod 274. is slidably extended through one of the rear cross bars 27 of the frame and has a front end connected to the rear end 272 of the spring. A nut 276 is threaded on the rear end portion of the rod for adjusting the tension of the spring. The retracting spring, therefore, urges the lever 256 in a clockwise direction (FIG. 7) about shaft 37 and into engagement wtih an adjustable stop bolt 278 which is mounted on the upper end portion of one of the front legs 21 of the frame 20.

In summarizing the steps of the subject method, let it be assumed that the illustrated embodiment of the pitter is initially in the position of FIG. 6. That is, the inner spreader knives 85 at the feeding station 135 are in closed, fruit-receiving position and the cup 159 is in its lower position opposite to these knives. Upon energization of the motor 127, the disc 50 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction whereas the camshaft 140 is rotated in a clockwise direction.

A peach 155, not shown in FIG. 6, is placed on the cup 159 and impaled on the knives 85 in the manner previously described. The peach is partially sliced along its suture plane into halves. It is significant that the stem ends of these halves engage, or are closely adjacent to, the supporting plates 105; that the inner pit engaging blade 65 penetrates the peach in its suture plane and receives the inner end of the pit 177 therein; and that approximately the inner half of the peach is sliced by the inner knives and the inner blade in closely adjacent relation to the pit.

As long as the peach 155 is accurately positioned on the inner knives, that is, with the knives impaling the peach along its suture plane and with the inner end of the pit properly seated in the inner blade 65, the auxiliary blades 80 and 242 need not be employed; when the auxilas the outer iary blades are employed, adequate pit engagement is obtained even if the suture plane of the peach is not coplanar with the disc 5t? and inner knives 85. Since the auxiliary blades are illustrated, their presence is assumed in the following description.

The cup 159 (FIG. 6) moves upwardly wtih the impaled peach 155 to assist in its proper placement on the inner knives 85. After approximately twenty degrees of upward travel, the cup returns to the feeding station where it remains, awaiting movement of a successive pair of inner knives into the feeding station.

The impaled peach I55, however, continues movement toward the separating station 136 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed successively in FIGS. 8 through 11. When the axis of the impaled peach is aligned with the center line of the outer blade 238 (FIG. 8), the blade aligning crank 187 moves the outer blade from its upper position toward its lower position while simultaneously maintaining alignment of the outer blade wtih the axis of the peach. During the first part of the downward movement of the outer knife 185 and outer blade, the sliding lever 25%) is stationary and is in the position illustrated in FIG. 8. Therefore, the outer knife and outer blade slide inwardly toward the disc 5%, that is from the FIG. 8 position to a position slightly closer to the disc than is illustrated in FIG. 9; FIG. 9 actually shows the outer knife just beginning its outward movement.

As the outer knife 135 moves inwardly, the outer blade 233 and the outer knife slice into the peach in its suture plane (FIG. 12). Simultaneously with this slicing action, the outer blade 233 engages the outer end of the pit 177 whereby the pit is grasped or clamped between the inner blade 65 and the outer blade. As the outer blade continues its inward movement, it moves the pit and the inner blade inwardly against the urgence of the springs 77 (FIG. 13). The divided halves of flesh of the peach 155 are held against inward movement with the pit by the supporting plates NS. The pit, therefore, is moved axially of the fruit with respect to the flesh. In this manner, the pit is gently loosened from the flesh and is dislodged from its pit cavity, as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 14- as compared with its cavity position in dashed lines. In the innermost position of the outer knife and blade, the peach is substantially completely severed about the pit into halves, but the pit is only partially displaced from its normal position within the peach. That is, the dislodgement of the pit as provided by the present invention does not cause the pit to bore or plow through the stem end 176 of the flesh. The dislodgement simply serves to gradually loosen and break the connections between the flesh and the pit and to condition the fruit for subsequent spreading apart of the divided halves. In this regard it is also noted that the halves of the peach are separated enough by the inner knives $5 in their closed position to allow for the described amount of axial movement of the pit without furrowing into the flesh.

After the pit 177 is dislodged and the peach 155 is substantially completely sliced about the pit (FIG. 6), the spreading cams 148 move into engagement with the knife rollers 112 and abruptly spread the inner knives 35 apart. The severed halves of the peach are moved away from each other and from the pit and fall from the disc 50 into a chute 300 mounted in the frame 20 below the separating station 136. The pit, however, remains firmly grasped between the blades 65 and 238 and does not remain attached to the flesh or move therewith.

It is of real significance that the cut and exposed surfaces of the peach halves are substantially smooth and undamaged because of the preliminary loosening and separating of the pit 177 from the flesh and the nearly complete slicing of the flesh about the pit. Accordingly, there is no appreciable tearing of the peach flesh when the knives are spread apart. Instead, the spreading of the knives simply serves to urge the peach halves off from the disc and to break any minimal pit-flesh connections which may remain.

Just after dislodgment of the pit 177 and severance of the fruit halves, the slicing lever 250 moves counterclockwise (FIG. and moves the outer blade 238 out of the slot 55; as the outer blade is withdrawn from the slot, said blade continues its counterclockwise travel with the disc 50 so as to avoid engagement of the disc with the outer blade. During this time, the pit remains clamped between the blades 65 and 238. When the inner blade reaches its outer pit receiving position, the outer blade continues its outward movement so that the pit is released and falls from the disc into the chute 300 (FIG. 6). The inner knives and the inner blade continue movement with the disc toward the feeding station 135 for repeat operations.

After releasing the pit 177, the outer blade 238 and the outer knife 185 are moved upwardly by the blade aligning crank 187 (FIG. 11). When the outer knife and blade reach their upper rest position, they are ready for alignment with a successive pair of inner knives 85 (FIG. 1) and for repeating their functions as described above.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the present invention provides a method for splitting and pitting fruit which overcomes several problems of the prior art. The subject method provides for simultaneously substantially completely slicing the flesh of a fruit about its pit while loosening the pit from the flesh and for dependably holding the pit while spreading the sliced segments apart. Since the knives 85 and 185 and the pit engaging blades 65 and 23S enter the fruit in substantially a common plane, in performing the method of the present invention, there is no appreciable marking of the flesh. The resulting fruit segments provide exposed cut surfaces which are clean and smooth, and are not marred by the appearance of the pit or pit fragments nor appreciable blade or tool marks. Since damage to the fruit is minimized, the fruit is of a higher quality and of greater commercial value.

It is to be understood that the disclosed steps of the present invention are capable of modification and variation without departing from the principles of the invention, and that the scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope and proper interpretation of the claims appended hereto.

The invention having thus been described, what is believed to be new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of preparing fruit such as peaches for canning having diametrically opposite first and second portions comprising the steps of slicing the fruit diametrically in said first portion about the pit, engaging the pit in said second portion of the fruit and at substantially the same time initiating slicing of the second portion of the fruit diametrically thereof in coplanar relation to the slicing action in said first portion, maintaining the engagement with the pit and thereby pushing the pit to advance the pit and the attached fruit meat in a certain direction in the plane of the slicing actions and seat said first portion of the fruit to dispose the fruit in predetermined position, and continuing to engage and push the pit of the seated fruit in said certain direction to advance the pit relatively to the pit cavity to break the connection of the pit to the meat of the fruit before completing the slicing of the second portion of the fruit to fully split the fruit.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the slicing action in said first portion is initiated prior to engagement of the pit and the pushing thereof to advance the pit and the attached fruit meat to dispose the fruit in said predetermined position and is completed during said pushing action after the pit is dislodged to slice the meat of the fruit substantially around the pit in said first portion.

3. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the slicing action in said first portion and the advancement of said pit are substantially in the suture plane of the fruit.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the end of the pit in said first portion of the fruit is in one end of the fruit and is resiliently engaged to orient the adjacent end of the pit and first portion of the fruit during the slicing action in said first end portion of the fruit and yieldably oppose pushing of said pit to advance the pit and the attached fruit meat in said certain direction to dispose the fruit in said predetermined position and during advancement of the pit relatively to the pit cavity to guide the related end of the pit during said relative movement.

5. The method set forth in claim 4 wherein the second portion of the fruit is the second end portion thereof and engagement of the pit in the second end portion of the fruit orients that end portion of the pit and the adjacent end of the fruit in predetermined alignment with the end of the pit in said first end portion of the fruit.

6. The method set forth in claim 3 wherein the end of the pit in said first portion of the fruit is in one end of the fruit and is resiliently engaged to orient the adjacent end of the pit and the first end portion of the fruit during the slicing action in said first end portion of the fruit and yieldably oppose pushing of said pit to advance the pit and the attached fruit meat in said certain direction to dispose the fruit in said predetermined position and during advancement of the pit relatively to the pit cavity to guide the related end of the pit in coplanar relation to said suture plane of the fruit during said relative movement.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein the second portion of the fruit is the second end portion thereof and engagement of the pit in the second end portion of the fruit orients that end portion of the pit and the adjacent end of the fruit in predetermined alignment with the end of the pit in said first end portion of the fruit.

8. The method set forth in claim 5 wherein while the ends of the pit are engaged they are held against lateral shifting to maintain alignment of the pit along the stemblossom axis of the fruit.

9. The method set forth in claim 7 wherein while the ends of the pit are engaged they are held against lateral shifting to maintain alignment of the pit along the stemblossom axis of the fruit substantially in the suture plane thereof.

10. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein after the pit is fully advanced relatively to the pit. cavity and the slicing of the second end portion of the fruit is complete substantially around the pit in said second end portion to divide the fruit into a pair of segments the fruit halves are moved outward in their entirety away from the detached pit.

11. The method set forth in claim 9 wherein after the pit is fully advanced relatively to the pit cavity and the slicing of the second end portion of the fruit is complete substantially around the pit in said second. end portion to divide the fruit into halves the halves are pushed laterally outward from the detached pit to remove the halves from the pit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,901 5/1892 Carter 146-237 2,588,575 3/1952 Rollins 146-28 3,217,767 11/ 1965 Anderson 146-238 W. GRAYDON ABERCROMBIE, Primary Examiner, 

